Within the fictional storyline, Terminators are created in a post-apocalyptic future by a computer AI known as Skynet,[a] after it has launched war on humans.

In most franchise media, the machines are created in a post-apocalyptic future by a computer AI, Skynet,[a] after it has launched a nuclear war against humans.

Terminators typically consist of an exterior made of living human tissue, covering a metal endoskeleton.

[5] Common Terminator traits include super strength,[6][7] shapeshifting,[8][9] vocal impersonation,[10][11] and red eyes.

[35] An early model, the T-600, is referenced in the first film, noted as being easily spotted due to its rubber-skinned exterior.

[39] Terminator Salvation also introduces two other machines, both designed to kill humans: the Hydrobot, an amphibious snake-like vehicle;[40][43][46] and motorcycles known as Moto-Terminators.

[43] Terminator Genisys introduces an additional model, four-legged Spider Tanks, which are dropped by aerial HKs.

[28][51][52] Following Winston's death in 2008, a successor company was formed by his crew under the name Legacy Effects, which worked on Terminator Genisys.

[52] Industrial Light & Magic has also worked on the films since Terminator 2, providing computer-generated imagery of the machines for certain shots.